"Is she doing fine?" Tom Miller asked, eyeing Roanna's retreating figure.
"She's just disturbed," Erin said with a sigh. Her thoughts wandered off to the last night when Roe had hallucinated. She debated whether she should discuss it with them or not. She knew Roe wouldn't like if they found out so she silenced herself.
"I'll go and check on her," Brody said.
"No," Erin stopped him. "She needs some time alone. Give that to her, please."
He frowned but sat back. Marina Miller glanced at the door, then back at Erin. As a part of that town, she knew one thing: There was nothing worse than the river. It harmed Erin's eyes, worse could have happened had she not been saved. What she didn't understand was the other girl's condition. She went right in the water, swam and brought her friend out and the water had no effect on her. She wasn't harmed in any way, if that was possible.
"What happened to her?" Marina Miller asked Erin.
"Lately, a lot of things have happened."
"Like?"
She sighed and looked at her brother. Eric spoke, "Let her rest. We'll tell you."
Erin shook her head, "I'll be here, listening."
Brody was still looking out where Roe had disappeared. "I'm done here," he muttered and went to his room.
Everybody tensed as Eric began, being a little reluctant. "It started on the New Year's eve. Her neighbors were murdered. She saw an intruder in the house who's still on loose. The neighbor's son is, well, with the police. They aren't telling us much, considering we're not family. Then, there's a little family tension going on a bit." He tried to sum it up hurriedly, not wanting to expose much of his friend's life to them. She wouldn't appreciate it.
"They were murdered?" Marina gasped. "How?"
"Marina," Tom Miller warned her to not venture there.
"It's okay," Eric said. "We don't know much ourselves. After Roe saw a man inside along with a dead bird - strange, I know - she rang the police. When they arrived and went in their house, there was no living soul. They found a dead bird and two dead bodies."
"Of the neighbors," Marina whispered in horror. She did not know much but felt bad. She chanted and prayed for their souls to rest in peace.
Eric nodded, sadly. "They questioned us so many times - the police, you know. Roe refused in the beginning. She was tensed but gave one anyway after their funeral. They're telling us that they'll settle the child, their son, in an orphanage."
Sadness befell on Marina's face at the mention of their son. 'Poor soul,' she thought. Somewhere deep down she wanted to take in that kid but knew it wasn't possible with all the problems they already were facing.
She looked at the door and just hoped everything would become normal for those kids. It couldn't become normal for them but at least it could become for those four. Just then Tom glanced at her, telling her it was the time they talked business. Why was Rodrigo here?
*****
Derrian entered the conference room and bowed to everyone. He was surprised to see that the entire cabinet wasn't there. He counted the members. Wenson, being the president of the council, sat at the head of the table. Moito sat at his usual spot, right after Wenson. The chair next in front of him was empty, just like it had been since the starting. Then was the chair of Rodrigo but he wasn't there. Parallel to Rodrigo sat the last person in the room, Alfred, or as Derrian fondly called him, Al.
He was this old man with receding grey hair but was younger than Wenson. Of course, everybody thought quite the opposite. It was pretty obvious, Alfred did look old with his grey hair and hunched back compared to Wenson and his golden locks. Alfred was one of the very few people Derrian trusted. He had known things even Wenson did not. He was the second-most important person in his life, his sister being the first.
He wondered how they always managed to come here at time, even early. But then again, it should not be that difficult when most of their time was spent in Desail Palace itself.
"Take a seat, Derrian," Wenson said. Derrian was about to sit when Wenson motioned him to sit on the empty chair next to Alfred.
"I can't," he shook his head. "It is for the Queen. I'll take Rodrigo's place, if you want." The seat next to the King was of the Queen, which Arathos at the time, did not have.
Wenson waved it, "We're not having an official meeting. It's more of a secret one, away from the entire council. Rodrigo will be joining us shortly."
Derrian nodded with understanding. Whenever a secret meeting was conducted, only the concerned people were called. It depended upon the role of the councilor and upon the hierarchy, the higher the post, the more meetings you attended. Some thought that was good. For some it was a burden. Derrian fell in the latter category. Even if it wasn't an official meeting, he did not want to sit there but he did, anyway.
"There's no queen, so stop cringing," Moito said, giving him a flat look.
Derrian framed a good reply but chose not to reply. He was in a good mood after he came back from training. He didn't want to ruin it.
Rodrigo came in the room, looking a little out of breath. "Sorry," he said and sat down.
"Did you find anything?" Alfred asked.
He nodded, "You were right. But they don't seem any trouble."
Derrian looked up with surprise. "Who are you talking about?"
"The Millers," Alfred replied, curtly.
Derrian frowned and turned to Wenson, "I thought we weren't troubling them."
"We're not," Rodrigo barked. "Alfred reported he had seen visitors in their house. I just wanted to check if we would be having any trouble. We're not, luckily. They're just some tourists, two of them. They look like kids. Say that they're here for the Fest."
He looked utterly disgusted.
"Why do you look like somebody just chopped off your feathers?" Derrian asked, further.
Alfred snickered while Rodrigo threw him a glare, "They aren't really good."
"When have you ever found humans good?" Derrian retorted back.
Rodrigo shook his head, "They were more. Josh messed with them and that dog. One of them, a girl, made him apologize to not only her friend but even the nasty dog."
Alfred looked like he would burst with laughter any moment. A smile tugged on Derrian's lips while Moito sat, rigidly.
"You find this funny?" Rodrigo spat.
"Perhaps that's why I'm smiling."
Wenson shrugged, plainly, "Josh shouldn't have done it then."
"Yes, but the dog? Seriously? And coming from a human - conceited species, I find it funny. Would a human apologize to a dog?"
Derrian shook his head at Rodrigo's head. He turned to Wenson, "Why are we here?"
Everyone sobered up.
"It's to discuss about Louis' son Mao," Wenson informed him. All the air in his lungs went out and he coughed.
"Why?" He said after recovering from the little shock.
"I know it's surprising, especially when we thought he was with the humans. But Harrison found him and contacted me immediately."
Derrian scoffed at the thought. 'Found him?' he thought. 'He never found him; he was supposed to have him.' At least that was their plan. That was what Derrian had asked him to do. Find Mao, sneak him out of the mess and give them to the peace-making Hybrids. There was no one better than that. It was either that or settling him with the humans, which wasn't a good option when he had a father who was a Bhurader and a human mother.
"We have thought of not killing him?" Wenson said. "We can't do that."
He wanted to say how gracious their act was, that he never thought that they were capable of showing mercy but remained quiet. He simply nodded.
"We'll send him away. Not many know about him. No one would suspect. We'll settle him among the hybrids."
That surprised him. "That would agree?"
"They already had. It was Harrison's idea. Mao is a hybrid himself, so it wasn't much problem."
Derrian was relieved. They were doing exactly what he wanted to do and he was thankful to them for taking that decision.
Moito spoke, "It would be too cruel to harm that child. We have already done so much. Many council members won't agree with us. Hence, the secret meeting." For a moment Derrian saw kindness in his eyes but his next words took it all away. "But, there are certain conditions."
Derrian laughed, "And here I thought you were being kind."
"A ruler has to be anything but kind."
He stared straight at him, "What are the conditions?"
Moito stretched a bit, "He's too small and should easily be told lies about his family-"
"But he deserves to know."
"No, he doesn't. All he should know is that he's a hybrid and lives up to it. Never in his life will he step in Arathos, neither will his coming generations. He's forbidden."
"If he does?"
"If he does as much as glance here, he will die. It will be a public execution in front of the Hybrids."
Derrian clenched his jaw. "That's not it, is it?"
Moito shook his head, "He won't be allowed to drink from the Katharos ever."
"That's our holy water. You cannot decline him that."
"That's holy water of Arathos."
"No, it is Bhuraders' holy water. You cannot deny him."
"It's either him or his next generations."
That silenced him.
"Well, then. It's final," Wenson spoke, giving a look of uncertainty to Derrian.
Derrian ignored it and stared right at Moito who was staring back at him.
"I can't believe you support this," he said to both Alfred and Wenson.
"We're breaking the Severance, isn't that good enough?" Rodrigo cast him a look.
"Is that all?" Derrian asked Wenson who nodded.
Before anyone could say anything else, he got up and left the room. It wasn't really a meeting to him. He was just called to be told what others had planned. That was why he never wanted to come to one, secret or not, all they ever wanted was to tell what they thought and to make sure only that would happen.